“I wasn't texting; I was just reading an email …”: a qualitative study of distracted driving enforcement in Washington State

Abstract

Background In response to the rise of distracted driving, many countries and most US states have adopted laws to restrict the use of handheld phones for drivers. Specific provisions of each law and the overall social mores of distracted driving influence enforceability and impact. Objectives Identify multilevel interdependent factors that influence distracted driving enforcement through the perspective of police officers. Design/methods We conducted focus group discussions with active duty law enforcement officers from three large Washington State counties. Our thematic analysis used descriptive and pattern coding that placed our findings within a social ecological framework to facilitate targeted intervention development. Results Participants reported that the distracted driving law posed challenges for consistent and effective enforcement. They emphasised the need to change social norms around distracted driving, similar to the shifts seen around impaired driving. Many participants were themselves distracted drivers, and their individual knowledge, attitude and beliefs influenced enforcement. Participants suggested that law enforcement leaders and policymakers should develop and implement policies and strategies to prioritise and motivate increased distracted driving enforcement. Conclusions Individual, interpersonal, organisational and societal factors influence enforcement of distracted driving laws. Targeted interventions should be developed to address distracted driving and sustain effective enforcement.

Cellphone laws and teens’ calling while driving: analysis of repeated cross-sectional surveys in 2013, 2015, and 2017

“…45 Qualitative research also has shown that police officers have a sense of discomfort in ticketing for cellphone-related distracted driving, as it can be ambiguous what drivers are actually doing with their phone while driving along with the low rate of admittance from drivers on their engagement in distracted driving. 46,47 Along with the effectiveness of cellphone bans, culture and environment have critical roles in shaping young drivers' behavior. 48,49 As driving is a learned behavior, parents/guardians serve as the primary role models for teen drivers and contribute to the overall traffic safety culture.…”

Bans on Cellphone Use While Driving and Traffic Fatalities in the United States

“… 45 Drivers may doubt that texting-only bans are enforceable. 44 , 46 For example, drivers may believe that if stopped by a police officer, they can avoid a citation by claiming they were calling, not texting. A comprehensive ban is easier to enforce, because it is impossible for police to differentiate texting from dialing and other phone use.…”

“…A comprehensive ban is easier to enforce, because it is impossible for police to differentiate texting from dialing and other phone use. 44 , 46 A cross-sectional comparison of 14 US states found that more citations were issued when both calling and texting were prohibited, compared with texting-only (2,022 versus 14 per 100,000 person–years). 47 …”

Cellphone laws and teens’ calling while driving: analysis of repeated cross-sectional surveys in 2013, 2015, 2017, and 2019

“…Qualitative research has also shown that police officers have a sense of discomfort in ticketing for cellphone-related distracted driving. As it can be ambiguous what drivers are actually doing with their phone while driving, along with the low rate of admittance from drivers on their engagement in distracted driving (Rudisill et al 2019 ; Nevin et al 2017 ).…”